Five nabbed with 290kg of heroin in high seas drug bust

A joint operation by the Police Narcotics Bureau (PNB) and the Sri Lanka Navy resulted in the seizure of 290 kilograms of heroin from a multi-day fishing trawler last afternoon. Five suspects who were aboard the vessel were also taken into custody. 

The operation was launched following information received by the State Intelligence Service (SIS). The suspects had been attempting to smuggle the heroin into the country at the time they were arrested, police said. 

The interception of the vessel by the Sri Lanka Navy led to the recovery of about 290kg and 200g of heroin in 259 packages stuffed in 10 sacks which were concealed in the vessel. Apart from the haul of drugs and the multi-day fishing trawler, the Navy also nabbed five suspects onboard the fishing vessel.

The multi-day fishing trawler seized by the Navy on suspicion of smuggling heroin, had ventured out to sea on July 30 and it is suspected that the consignment of narcotics was loaded onto the trawler from foreign smugglers in international waters. Meanwhile, the street value of the seized consignment of heroin is believed to be over Rs.2.321 billion, the navy stated. 

The fishing vessel with heroin and the suspects were brought ashore this morning (31).

The operation was conducted adhering to COVID-19 protocols in force to prevent the spread of the pandemic. The suspects held during this operation were identified as residents of Ahungalla, Balapitiya and Habaraduwa, aged from 31 to 37 years. The Navy and the PNB are conducting further investigations into the incident.